


Nothin' Like You

by FlightFlame



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, This song is Hollstein af, and no one will convince me otherwise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 21:37:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6537175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightFlame/pseuds/FlightFlame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the song by Dan + Shay</p><p>Laura can't stay away from the beautiful girl in the back of the café.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I remember when I first met you  
> Sipping coffee in a corner booth  
> You were twirling your hair  
> And I just had to stare  
> For a minute or two"

**Wednesday**

 

 ** Carmilla ** 

     I wordlessly grab my coffee from the barista and walk over to the booth in the back corner of the café. It's unoccupied, as usual, since I'm the only one who ever sits here. I drop my backpack onto the bench and slide in after it. After opening the bag, I take out _The Stranger_ and place it in the table in front of me. I'm almost finished, so I look through my other books to figure out what to read next. I narrow it down to Coleridge and Poe, and take them both out to decide later. With Camus in one hand and my coffee in the other; I slouch down, prop my feet up on the opposite bench, and settle in for a relaxing afternoon of reading.

 

     Then the bell above the door rings and a familiar cheerful voice calls out a greeting to the baristas.

 

 _‘No, no, no, no, no. What is she doing here?’_ I slouch even further into the booth in a lame attempt to hide from the blonde currently ordering hot chocolate. _‘Not that it would matter if she did see me, she doesn't even know who I am.’_ As hard as I try, I can't take my eyes off the bubbly girl. She's laughing at something the guy behind the counter said and it is music to my ears. I groan and drop my head into my book.

 

     Laura Hollis. Darling of Silas High School. Youngest editor-in-chief of the school newspaper in a decade. But most notably, the girl I haven’t been able to get off my mind from the moment I saw her. And now she's in my favorite café. _‘It's like she's_ trying _to ruin my life.’_

     I've been coming here after school almost every day for the past year and have never seen anyone I know. _‘I have a feeling that is going to change.’_ Because if Laura is here, the dimwit squad can't be far behind. _‘Fantastic.’_

** Laura **

     I stand out on the sidewalk looking up at the sign for The Lustig Café. At first I thought it was a stereotypical coffee shop sign, a steaming cup on a platter, but something is off about it. After another minute of staring, I figure it out. _‘Is that an anglerfish swimming in the cup? I like this place already.’_ With a chuckle and a shake of my head, I pull open the door. A little bell rings causing the two baristas behind the counter to turn. The guy at the register says hello and I return the greeting while walking up to the counter. “Can I have a hot chocolate, please? And a chocolate chip cookie.” He tells me the total and makes my order while I look for exact change in my bag. “What’s with the fish on the sign?” I ask when he comes back.

 

     He chuckles as he takes my money. “When the owner hired an artist to paint the sign; he said he wanted it to look like a typical café sign, but with a twist. So we got a deep sea fish in a cup.”

 

     “Oh my gosh, that is so great.” I laugh and pick up my drink and cookie. “Thank you.” Walking to the other side of the café, I sit at the end of a long table. My back is to the wall, so I can look out the large window to the street and see the rest of the people inside. _‘Holy Hufflepuff, who is that?’_ There’s a girl sitting in the furthest corner reading a book. Her dark hair is up in a messy bun and long bangs are falling over her eyes. She turns the page and starts absentmindedly twirling her bangs around her finger. My eyes trail down the long slope of her nose and along the sharp line of her jaw. _‘She is unfairly pretty.’_ She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and I find myself mirroring the action. She looks familiar but I can't figure out why.

 

     “Hey, Earth to Hollis.”

 

     I blink rapidly as my view of the girl is blocked by a hand waving in my face. Looking up, I see all of my friends have walked up to the table and I didn’t even notice. Danny drops her hand and takes the seat across from me.

 

     LaFontaine plops down next to me and leans over. “Who are you checking out?” They whisper conspiratorially, trying to follow my line of sight.

 

     “I'm not checking anyone out!” I respond, a little too quickly.

 

     Kirsch sits next to Danny and laughs. “Bro, your cookie only made it halfway to your mouth.” He's right, I was about to take a bite when I saw the girl and froze. He twists in his chair and starts looking around the café. “So, who's the hottie that caught the little nerd hottie’s attention?”

 

     Perry walks up and passes around napkins to everyone. “What are you all looking at?” She asks, taking the seat on the other side of Laf.

 

     “They're looking for the “hottie” Laura was distracted by when we got here.” Danny says with a grin, winking at me.

 

     I ball up my napkin and throw it at Kirsch so he turns back around. “Guys, stop. I wasn't distracted or checking anyone out, hot or otherwise.”

 

     "Oh are we looking for hotties, where?” Will fills the last seat next to Kirsch and looks around excitedly. I drop my head to the table with a long groan while everyone laughs.

 

     “We're just messing with you, L.” Laf claps their hand on my shoulder comfortingly. “Hey wait, Will, isn't that your sister over there?”

 

     I lift my head to see everyone look over at the girl in the corner. She seems to sense it, glancing up from her book a moment later. Will waves his hand and she nods her head in reply. “Yeah that's Carmilla.” Will says before taking a sip of his drink. “She comes here all the time, which is how I knew about it.” Our group usually hangs out at the diner across town every Wednesday after school. But it’s been really crowded lately, so we looked for somewhere else to go. Yesterday, Will told us about The Lustig and here we are.

 

     Carmilla’s eyes catch mine as my friends start talking about their days. I can’t help but stare, again, and this time she is staring right back. Her lips pull into a lopsided smile after a minute or two and I swear my heart stops. A deep blush blooms across my cheeks, so I drop my head to hide it. When I glance back up, she’s smirking at her book.

 

 

** Carmilla **

      _'_ _And here they are. Laura’s posse of gingers and bros.’_ I watch as they all sit down; but I’m too far away to hear what they’re saying, so I just go back to reading. Except now I can’t concentrate. _‘I thought they did their little weekly hangouts at the diner. Why are they here?’_ I raise my head to find six sets of eyes looking at me. _‘I hope he doesn’t expect me to talk to them.’_ Will waves and I nod in acknowledgement. He turns back around and I sigh in relief. My brother tried for years to get me to be more social. I had to threaten to feed him his spleen before he stopped.

 

     My gaze gravitates to Laura, as it always does, and my breath catches as I look into her eyes. _‘Gods, she’s breathtaking.’_ I hold the stare for a little, then flash her a smile. Her face flushes instantly and she looks down at the table. _‘Well that was adorable.’_ With a smirk on my lips, I attempt to finish my book. _‘Maybe this won’t be so bad._

** Laura **

     “So I guess that answers our question.” Laf states smugly.

 

     “What question?” I ask.

 

     “Who you were checking out earlier.”

 

     I gape at them for a second before stuttering out an explanation. “I wasn’t- I just- I didn’t realize that was Will’s sister.” I shove the rest of the cookie in my mouth and cross my arms over my chest.

 

     “I’m not surprised.” Will says with a chuckle. “She skips class more often than not, and she’s not the most social person. Although, her cavalcade of “study buddies” seems to contradict that.”

 

     “She’s also a raging bitch, so you wouldn’t have any reason to associate with her.” Danny mutters bitterly.

 

     Kirsch glares at the girl next to him. “Yo, D-Bear, that’s no way to talk about a bro’s sis.”

 

     They start arguing, but movement behind Danny distracts me. Carmilla is walking past our table towards the door. I can’t stop myself from running my eyes up and down her body as she goes by. Her black skinny jeans are practically painted on. _‘Pants that tight should be illegal.’_ I watch her through the window as long as I can before tuning back in to the conversation.

 

     “Could she be more pretentious? We get it, she reads foreign literature and poetry, but there’s no need to have a stack of them wherever she goes.”

 

     “Hey, Danny,” I say, interrupting her rant, “How is SJ’s ankle? Will she be able to race next week?”

 

     That successfully changes the topic as she launches into an explanation of SJ’s recovery trajectory. Carmilla isn’t mentioned again for the next hour or so that we sat there talking.


	2. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I was laughing at your stack of books  
> Then you shot me that smile  
> Hey beautiful girl, in your own little world  
> And me in it"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting two chapters today so I can get back to work on Shadows.

**Thursday**

 

**Laura **

     I find myself standing in front of The Lustig again the next day. Mrs. Cochrane had a meeting and gave the newspaper staff the day off. So, instead of going home to get ahead on my homework, my feet brought me here. _‘With the hope that Carmilla is too.’_ To be honest, I didn't even consciously think about her until I saw the café sign swaying in the September breeze. Which is surprising considering I can’t get her out of my head. I spent all day searching the halls for the mysterious girl. I never saw her and I don't if that has made this better or worse.

 

     Someone comes out of the café and the bell brings me back to reality. They hold the door for me and I thank them while walking in. The same barista from yesterday is at the register. He smiles as I approach the counter. “Hot chocolate and a cookie?” He asks.

 

     “You remember my order?” The surprise is evident in my voice.

 

     He shrugs and starts tapping the screen. “It's not often that someone gets just plain hot chocolate. I'll take that as a yes, then?”

 

     “Oh, sorry!” I say quickly, bouncing a little on my toes. “Yes please.”

 

     When he goes to make my drink, I finally give in and look to the booth in the corner. _‘Godric Gryffindor, she's here. Okay, don't freak out. She's just a girl. A very attractive girl. Probably the most attractive girl I have ever seen. Yeah, totally not freaking out.’_ Her hair is down today, falling in waves over her shoulders. I watch as she shuts the book she was reading and pushes it to the other side of the table. Reaching into her bag, she pulls out three more books and piles then in front of her. I have to bite my lip to hold back a laugh as she does what looks like ‘eeny meeny miney mo’ before choosing a book from the middle of the stack. _‘Not pretentious, just indecisive.’_ The barista comes back with my order and I dig through my pockets for my money. After paying, I take my food to a smaller table closer to where Carmilla is sitting. My friends are all busy so there's no reason to take up more space than I need. At least that's what I tell myself as I take _The Jungle Book_ from my backpack and open it on the table in front of me.

 

 

** Carmilla **

_‘Aaaaand done. Finally.’_  I tried to finish _The Stranger_ yesterday, but I couldn't focus once the two beanstalks my brother is friends with started arguing. I don't know what it was about, nor do I care, I just know they were distracting. The only good that came from leaving earlier than I normally do, was Laura totally checking out my ass on my way out. I couldn't help but try to catch her eye one more time as I passed their table, but her gaze was focused too low for her to notice. _‘Which is fine by me.’_ I put the two books I decided on yesterday, and the new Kipling reading my English teacher assigned, on top of each other on the table. I tap each one with the tip of my finger. _‘Eeny meeny miney mo, catch a panther by the toe…Poe’s short stories it is.’_

 

     I grab my cup and groan when I find it empty. I slowly stand, twisting to crack my back in the process. _‘What the hell? She's back.’_ Laura is sitting alone at a table for two, reading a book and nibbling on a cookie. _‘Is that The Jungle Book? Is she in my English class? I'll ask Will. My attendance might improve if a certain junior is there too.’_  She is wearing a blue, short-sleeved button down with white bowties and polka-dots all over it. _‘Only she can make me think nerdy is adorable.’_  I pass the dessert display on my way to the register and it gives me an idea.

 

     The barista barely spares me a glance while he wipes down the counter. “Another black coffee?”

 

     “Yes, but I would also like you to do me a favor.”

 

     When I sit back down in the booth, I immediately pull out my phone.

 

**[Kitty]: _Is Laura in a senior Lit class?_**

**[Willy Boy]: _I think so. Why?_**

**[Willy Boy]: _Wait, is she in yours?!_**

**[Kitty]: _I don't know. That's why I'm asking, dipshit._**

**[Willy Boy]: _Put the claws away, Kitty. I'll text her now. This crush of yours is getting ridiculous._**

**[Willy Boy]: _She has Cochrane second period._**

**[Willy Boy]: _You're welcome._**

 

 _‘This crush stopped being ridiculous last year. It's now completely out of control.’_ I toss the phone into my backpack without answering. _‘Damn. Same class, different time.’_  I have Cochrane first period, which I tend to sleep through most days. I look at Laura and watch as she tries to take a bite of her cookie, only for it to break apart in her hand. She frowns down at her lap, where most of the cookie has fallen through into the floor. The barista from the register comes out from behind the counter and draws my attention. _‘Perfect timing.’_  He walks over to Laura and places a box on the table in front of her. She stares at it confused while he goes back to work. After a moment, she slowly opens the box and I see her eyes light up. Laura carefully lifts the cupcake and examines it before putting it down. When she pulls out the napkin, I panic. _‘This is creepy. We've never even met. This was a horrible idea. Fuck.’_

     Then she looks up at me - eyes warm and smile wide - and my heart skips a beat. She mouths “Thank you” before taking a bite of the cupcake. I wink in response, chuckling as a blush colors her cheeks. After that, when one of us catches the other staring, we exchange shy smiles instead of looking away.

 

_‘Best idea I’ve ever had’_

** Laura **

     The sound of footsteps draws my attention from the book. Carmilla is walking over to the register. My jaw drops so fast, it practically unhinges. I didn’t notice before, but she is wearing impossibly short, black cutoff jean shorts. And black thigh high socks. I can’t tear my eyes away from the exposed pale skin on her thighs. Carmilla leans over the counter, which causes her shorts to ride up. I bite my lip, hard, to keep a squeak of surprise from escaping. _‘My poor gay heart.’_

 

     I feel like such a creeper. All this staring and leering is getting ridiculous. I should just go talk to her. I glance over to where she has plopped back into her booth. She types something into her phone, then runs a hand through her hair, clearly frustrated. I jump a little when my phone vibrates on the table.

 

**[Will]: _Hey Laura, when do you have that Lit class?_**

****

**[Little L]: _Second period with Cochrane._**

****

**[Little L]: _Wait, why?_**

****

**[Will]: _My sister is asking._**

****

**[Little L]: _What? Really?_**

**[Will]: _Yeah. She’s had a massive crush on you for a while now, so she probably wants to know if it’s actually worth going._**

****

I’m about to take a bite of my cookie when I read Will’s last message, and I accidentally crush it in my hand. Pieces of it fall into my lap and on the floor. _‘There is no way in hell or Hogwarts that can be true.’_  I look up when I hear someone clear their throat right next to me.

The barista is standing there holding a small box. “The girl in the corner asked me to give this to you.” He says, placing the box in front of me and walking away.

 

I lift the lid cautiously. My dad’s warning to never accept anything from strangers is echoing around my head. _‘Oh my gosh, it’s so cute!’_ Inside the box is a cupcake with a yellow flower made of icing on top. Picking it up, I look more closely at the detailed design. Something else in the box catches my eye, so I put the dessert to the side. There is a napkin with a note written on it.

 

_These are the best tasting cupcakes in town. Don’t tell anyone, but I have a bit of a sweet tooth too._

_-C_

I look at Carmilla, a huge smile on my face, to find her gaze on me. Picking up the cupcake, I thank her silently and she winks at me. Hopefully, my blush is hidden behind the bite I take of the dessert, but I doubt it. She has a small, shy smile on her face as she goes back to reading her book. _‘Maybe Will is right.’_  From then on, I let her catch me staring, just to see that smile again.

_‘Tomorrow. I am going to talk to her tomorrow for sure.’_


	3. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Nothin' like you  
> Shades on spinning in the summer rain  
> Dancing when there ain't no music  
> Just the right kind of crazy, baby"

**Friday**

 

****

** Carmilla **

     I sit down and my leg immediately starts bouncing. I have been on edge since yesterday and it’s completely freaking me out. My body is buzzing with a nervous energy that only intensified when I walked into The Lustig. _‘Maybe I’m getting sick.’_ Hopefully the calming atmosphere of the café will help calm me down. I open _The Jungle Book_ , stretch my legs out, and try to block out the rest of the world. When I got home last night, I decided that the next time I saw Laura, I would actually talk to her. So, I ditched Poe and started reading Kipling to have at least one thing in common with her. I get through about thirty pages, and my coffee, when I notice someone standing by the table. The rude, dismissive comment I’m about to make doesn’t get past my throat, because they speak up first.

 

     “Um, hello.” I lift my head to find Laura standing there, nervously twisting a cup in her hands. _‘She’s here again.’_ All my nervous energy dissipates when our eyes meet. “I bought you a coffee. Black. Not that I knew what kind of coffee you like. The barista did. He remembered my order and I've only been here twice, so I figured he would definitely know yours. I wanted to thank you for the cupcake yesterday. Oh gosh, you already have a cup and you're trying to read and I'm disturbing you. Sorry, this was stupid. I’m sorry.”

 

     She turns to leave, but I reach out and grab her wrist. “Whoa, slow down there, cutie.” She looks like she's going to say something, so I hold up my free hand to stop her. “Breathe.” I command. She actually takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, then blushes when she realizes I was joking. I smirk and gesture at the other bench. “Why don’t you take a seat, so you can thank me properly.” She glances down and it’s my turn to blush as I scramble to sit up straight, moving my feet from where they were propped up. _‘Smooth, Karnstein, smooth.’_

 

     Laura smiles and sits down, still playing with the cup in her hands. After a moment, she pushes it across the table. “Here. Thank you for the cupcake.”

 

     I take it from her, smirking harder when she blushes as my fingers brush over hers. “You're very welcome. Your timing is impeccable, creampuff,” I say, shaking my empty cup. “I was just about to get a refill, so _thank you_.”

 

     She giggles softly and grins at me. _‘I can't decide what I like more: making her blush or making her giggle.’_ “I guess I'm just returning the favor. You had perfect timing yesterday.”

 

     “Giving pretty girls exactly what they want, when they want, is a specialty of mine, sweetheart.” I say with a wink, leaning forward.

 

     Her face turns an impressive shade of red and she bites her lip. I'm so focused on her mouth; I don’t notice she has leaned in as well until she speaks. “You're not fooling me, _Carm_.” She whispers across the little space between us. The emphasis she puts on the nickname awakens a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. Her smirk sends them into hyper drive. “You bought me an adorable cupcake for no reason and wrote a cute note. You're a huge sap behind all that ultra-thick eyeliner and tight pants.”

 

     I try to come up with a witty response, I really do, but my brain is malfunctioning after Laura’s transition from cute and nervous, to flirty and hot. Then my gaze drops and it crashes completely. She's wearing a sheer grey top, that is already pretty low cut, but with the way we’re both leaning forward, I have a perfect view down the front. _‘And what a view.’_ My crush on Laura has always been just that, a crush. I’ve never thought about her more than the fact that she’s a ball of sunshine with a beautiful smile. I want to hold her hand and buy her flowers, she brings out the romantic in me. There are plenty of other girls more than willing to help satisfy my more carnal desires. But right now, oh right now, my mind is going places I never thought it would with little Laura Hollis.

 

     “Like what you see, _cutie_?”

 

     Her voice knocks me from the trance I fell into and I look up to watch her fall back laughing. I shake my head to clear my thoughts. “Huh?” She laughs even harder and I feel an involuntary smile forming. _‘I could listen to that all day.’_

 

     She catches her breath enough to raise an eyebrow and ask, “How do you get so many ‘study buddies’, as Will calls them, if that’s all it takes to render you speechless?”

 

_‘No fucking way. Did she do that on purpose?’_ I can only gape at her for a minute while I process that information. I run a hand through my hair to collect myself and lean back. “Well I am usually more articulate. Although, in my defense, I was hardly expecting Laura ‘Picture of Innocence’ Hollis to flash me. I don’t have any beads for you, sorry.”

 

     She just scoffs. “Oh shush, that would hardly be considered flashing. And maybe you should stop judging books by their covers.”

 

     I consider her for a moment before nodding my head. “Maybe I should.” I say softly.

 

     Laura smiles widely at me. _‘It’s like the sun comes out all over again every time she does.’_ Then she picks up my copy of _The Jungle Book_ , which I had put to the side when she sat down, and examines the cover. “Is this your own copy? It’s different from the ones at school.”

 

     “Yeah, it was a birthday present.” I say flatly, not wanting to elaborate and not wanting her to ask me to.

 

     Luckily, Laura just keeps smiling and bouncing in her seat with a childlike energy. “That’s cool. So you’ve read it before?” I barely nod in response before she keeps going. “Do you like it? Because I love it so far! This is my first time reading it, but the Disney movie is one of my favorites…”

 

     I listen fondly as she continues to ramble, nodding at the necessary times. This goes on for a few more hours. She manages to get more out of me than I expected as we move from topic to topic. It’s not till I buy a cupcake and don’t even consider not sharing it with her, that I come to a startling realization. _‘I have actual, real feelings for Laura. Fuck.’_

 

 

** Laura **

     We sit at that booth for hours; talking and getting refills of our respective drinks, along with the occasional snack. I glance at my phone for the first time since sitting down and nearly choke on the cupcake Carmilla shared with me. “Holy Hufflepuff! When did it get so late?!” I start frantically shoving all my notebooks and papers into my backpack. At some point homework came up, and she offered to help me with my history assignment. _‘She is really smart, like could probably graduate early smart. I’ll ask Will about that later.’_ Once my stuff is packed, I get up quickly.

 

     Carmilla stands up too and grabs my hand. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

     My face flushes when I realize I probably look like a crazy person. “Sorry. It’s just that I have to be home before it gets dark or my dad will ground me for like a month and I have to walk all the way across town and I’m not going to make it in time and-”

 

     Her other hand covering my mouth effectively ends my run-on sentence. “Easy there, cupcake. You have to take a breath every once in a while or you’ll pass out.” She releases me to turn around and start packing up her stuff as well. “I can drive you home if it’s that big a deal.” She says without looking at me.

 

     “Oh my gosh, that would be awesome! Thank you so much!”

 

     “Yeah, yeah. My car is out back, let's go.” She puts on a pair of Ray-Bans, throws her bag over her shoulder, and heads for the door. I'm following so close behind, that I almost run into her when she stops to hold the door open for me. “After you.” She says with a flourish of her hand.

 

     I walk out and wait on the sidewalk. “Who would have thought you would be such a gentlewoman.” I tease when she comes out.

 

     Carmilla tilts her head down to look at me over her sunglasses. “Now who's judging books by their covers?” She drawls.

 

     I shrug and grin, taking her hand as she leads me around the building. She glances down at our interlocked fingers before looking away quickly, but I see the color blooming on her cheeks. The entrance of The Lustig faces the main road of town, so there's not a lot of space for parking. Luckily, there is a small lot around back that connects to a side street. When we get to the lot, I feel something land on my face. I look up just in time for the sudden downpour to hit me dead on. Carmilla bursts out laughing at my surprised squeal and takes off running, dragging me behind her. She digs the key fob from her pocket and hits a button. The trunk of a black muscle car pops open as we approach. It looks like a nice car, and I knew anything about them I would probably be impressed. She takes my bag from me and throws both of them. I'm about to walk over to the passenger side when she takes my hand again and pulls me out to the middle of the small parking lot.

 

     “Carm, I have to get home.” I whine.

 

     “It’s fine.” She laughs, spinning around. “Live a little, will ya?”

 

     I find myself just staring at her instead of answering. A genuinely happy smile lights up her face and I’m sure if I could see her eyes, they would be just as bright. ‘ _She should smile like this more. It’s stunning.’_ We’re both completely soaked, but she couldn't look more excited.

 

     “You didn't believe me when I said I know how to waltz, so I'm gonna prove it.” She says, her hands on her hips defiantly.

 

     I shake my head and laugh. “You're crazy. If it starts raining any harder, we won't even be able to see each other.”

 

     “There are worse things to be.” She replies with a shrug. Then she smirks and lowers her voice. “What? You afraid to get a little wet, buttercup?” I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure I could see her wink even through the shades.

 

     I don’t really have a choice in the matter, she is my ride home. And if I’m being honest, I am a little curious. “How can we dance without music?”

 

     “I’ll take care of that.” She takes my left hand in her right and holds them up by our shoulders. “Partners are face to face.” Her other hand slips around my waist to my lower back and she pulls me in so there is barely any space between our bodies. “Chest to chest.” My left hand goes to her shoulder to steady myself as she begins to lead us in circles across the pavement. She pulls me even closer and moves her head next to mine, humming softly in my ear. _‘Which isn’t making my heart pound at all.’_ After a few minutes of dancing, she lets go of my waist and twirls me around. “And all of that, um, whirling.” A giddy laugh escapes my lips as she spins herself under my arm.

 

     “You would have been quite popular back in 1968.” I comment.

 

     She huffs. “I’m quite popular now, I’ll have you know.”

 

     A shiver runs through my body, so I boop her nose and pull away. “Not according to Will.” I say, walking over to her car. I get in the passenger seat and instantly feel bad about getting water all over the place. _‘It’s her fault really, we didn’t have to dance in the rain. As sweet as it was.’_

     Carmilla gets in shortly after and starts up the car after putting her sunglasses in a cup holder. Once we’re out on the road she glances over at me. “My brother doesn’t know as much about me as he thinks.” I raise a skeptical eyebrow. “I’m a popular girl. I get a lot of invitations.” She insists.

 

     “Did you get an invite to Kirsch’s tomorrow?”

 

     “Yes, from the giant puppy himself.” She snarks, keeping her eyes forward. “But I try to avoid partying with my brother and his dimwit friends. No offense.”

 

     I wave off the comment. “None taken. I’m not usually a big partyer anyway.” I study her profile for a moment before adding, “But, I might make an exception if you go too.”

 

     I see her bite her lip to hold back a smile and shoot her one of my own. “Why Miss Hollis, are you asking me on a date?”

 

     “If that’s what it takes to get you to come.”

 

     “Oh, it would take a little more than that, cutie.”

 

     It takes me a second, but my face heats up when I figure out what she meant. “Carm!”

 

     Carmilla doesn’t hold it back this time and smiles widely at me. “Sorry, you just make it too easy. But sure, I’ll go to the beefcake’s party. As long as you’re there, I think I might like that very much.”

 

     “Yay!” I exclaim, clapping my hands excitedly.

 

     She shakes her head and groans. “Don’t make me regret this, cupcake.” Then the car comes to a stop and she puts it in park.

 

     I look out the window and realize we are at my house. “Wait, how did you know where I live? Now that I think about it, I never told you?” I ask.

 

     She refuses to meet my eye and stares at the steering wheel. “I dropped Will off once and, uh, just kinda remembered.”

 

     “Huh. Well, thank you for the ride. Can you pop the trunk so I can get my backpack?” I say, opening the door.

 

     She just nods and presses a button on the dash. I close the door quickly, since it’s still raining, and rush to get my bag. Once I have it, I run up to her window instead of going straight inside. She rolls it down and gives me a concerned look. “Did you forget something?”

 

     “Nope.” It’s a little awkward, but I lean down and give her a kiss on the cheek, my lips lingering longer than they probably should. “See you tomorrow!” I say with a wave, already running for my house. After I’ve changed into dry clothes and toweled off my hair, I grab my phone from my backpack. Luckily, it was in there and not my pocket, or the rain would have ruined it.

 

**[Frosh]: _I need your help figuring out what to wear to Kirsch’s party tomorrow!!!_**

**[Laf]: _Why? You looking to impress someone?_**

**[Frosh]: _I kinda might have a date…_**

**[Laf]: _Ayy good for you, L. Who is it?_**

**[Frosh]: _Uh, Carmilla._**

**[Laf]: _Oh, this is gonna be good._**


	4. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Something about you  
> Rockin' that rock 'n roll t-shirt  
> Whole party dressed up  
> But you just doin' your thing  
> Ain't nobody ever seen nothin' like you"

**Saturday**

 

** Laura **

     “Daaannnng. You guys look hot!” Kirsch says excitedly as he opens the door. “This dressing up thing was such a good idea.”

 

     “God, you are such a Neanderthal.” Danny mutters, shouldering past him into his house.

 

     He frowns slightly, but perks back up when I pat him on the chest. “You look very nice yourself, Kirsch.” I reach up and adjust his bowtie with a smirk. “Bowties are cool.”

 

     His smile gets impossibly wider as he steps back, motioning for me to come inside. “I know right?” He kicks the door closed and leads me into the kitchen.

 

     Perry is mixing something in a large punch bowl while arguing with Laf, who is sitting on the counter next to the bowl. “Aw come on, Perr, just a little bit?”

 

     She gives them a pointed look and shakes a stern finger. “LaFontaine, not everyone drinks alcohol, _as you know_ , so there needs to be something for them.”

 

     I chuckle at the interaction, causing both of them to look over. Laf slides off the counter and throws an arm over my shoulder. “Lookin’ good, Frosh.” They say with a smirk. Then they present me to Perry. “Am I good or what?”

 

     They came by earlier this morning to help me decide which dress to wear. I may or may not have been completely stressing out. After an hour or two of trying on every dress I own, we chose a sleeveless burgundy number. It has a lace bodice that goes up to my neck, but there's a cut in the solid part underneath that reveals a strip of skin between my breasts and stops just above my navel. The dress was an impulse buy while out with Laf and Perry that has been hidden in the back of my closet since. My dad would send me to a convent if he ever saw me in it. _‘So naturally, it's the perfect thing to impress Carmilla.’_

     Perry smiles and nods her head. “You look very nice, sweetie.”

 

     “You are so getting laid tonight.” Laf says in a sing song voice. I feel my face heat up and I know my cheeks probably match my dress. They double over with laughter while Perry smacks them on the arm.

 

     “Who's getting laid?” Danny asks as she walks into the kitchen.

 

     “Nobody.”

 

     “Laura.”

 

     Laf and I answer at the same time. Their laughter increasing at the look on Danny’s face.

 

     “By anyone in particular?” There's a forced neutrality to her voice that is obvious to everyone.

 

     “Will’s lady-killer sister.” Laf says smugly.

     “Carmilla? You can't be serious.” Danny raises her eyebrows at me, her lips set in a hard line. I glare at Laf as Perry shoves the punch bowl into their arms and pushes them out of the kitchen. “Laura, did you not listen to what I said the other day? That girl is bad news.”

     “No, I didn't listen to your judgmental rant. I prefer to form my own opinions about people by actually getting to know them.” I hear kirsch greeting more people at the door, so I try to keep my voice from rising in frustration. “And my opinion of Carmilla is that she is kind of amazing and I like her a lot.” I storm past Danny, intent on making my way to the family room where everyone else is, but I end up running into someone. My hands grab their shoulders and their hands grip my waist to keep us from falling over.

 

     “Well hey there, cupcake.” I can't keep the smile from my face at the sound of her voice. Carmilla pulls back a little, keeping her hands on my hips, and looks my up and down. “Don't you look good enough to eat.” Her gaze lingers on my chest. _‘*Mental fist pump*’_ I quickly check her out, too. I’m not really surprised to see she’s not dressed up, Carmilla seems like the type to do her own thing. But I am not complaining, those leather pants hug her curves even tighter than her skinny jeans.

 

     When I look up, her smoldering eyes meet mine and I forget how to speak. I breathe out a pathetic, “Hi,” after staring for a moment. Her lips turn up at the corners, then drop to a scowl when Danny's voice sounds behind me.

 

     “What the hell are you doing here, Karnstein?”

 

 

 

** Carmilla **

     I hear the car horn go off again as I check myself in the mirror one last time. It goes off again as I close the front door behind me. Will is sitting behind the wheel of his truck gesturing impatiently. I slowly make my way over to the passenger side, just to piss him off. As soon as I buckle my seatbelt, he pulls out of the driveway and takes off down the road.

 

     “Seriously, that's what you're wearing?” He asks, glancing over at me.

 

     I look down at my outfit – combat boots, leather pants, Rolling Stones t-shirt, black and red flannel – and shrug. “Yeah.”

 

     He pinches the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “I told you a thousand times the theme is formal wear.”

 

     I slouch down in the seat and inspect my nail polish. “And I told you I don't give a shit. It's a high school senior’s house party, not a fraternity mixer. It shouldn't have a theme.”

 

     We ride in silence for a little while before I see him glance at me again. “So, a certain junior journalist was asking about you.”

 

     “When?” I ask quickly. I can tell by his smirk that I reacted exactly the way he thought.

 

     “So that's why you suddenly decided to come. Did you two finally talk or something?”

 

     “Yeah. Now answer my question.”

 

     “Last night. She wanted to know if you are as smart as you seem.” The memory of Laura’s slack jawed expression as I helped her with her homework yesterday has me grinning. “I told her you could have graduated early, but didn't for personal reasons.”

 

     I scoff at that. “Personal reasons being Mother is a bitch and denied my request just so she can keep me under her thumb a little longer.”

 

     “Yeah well, just thought you should know, she’s interested.” He parks the truck in front of Kirsch’s house and hops out. When we get to the front door, he starts fixing his tie, so I knock. “Oh, and try not to assault anyone tonight.”

 

     “No promises, Willy boy.”

 

     He’s about to respond when the door flies open, revealing a grinning Kirsch. “What's up, bros? Wait, Carm-sexy, why aren't you dressed up?”

 

     “Is Laura here?” I ask instead of answering.

 

     “Yeah, she's in the kitchen.”

 

     I walk past him and into the house. I've been here once before, so I kind of remember the layout. Luckily, I hear Laura’s voice and just follow that. Someone nearly bowls me over on my way into the kitchen. The scent of strawberries hits me and I immediately know who it is.

 

     “Well hey there, cupcake.” She smiles up at me and my heart skips a beat. I lean back just enough to get a look at her, but still stay in her grasp. My mouth goes dry as I take in her dress. _‘Damn, she looks hot.’_ I can't look away from her breasts. She's not wearing a bra and all those dirty thoughts from yesterday come rushing back. “Don't you look good enough to eat.” The blush on her cheeks finally draws my eyes up. When they meet hers, it's like everything else melts away, just the two of us in our own little world.

 

     “Hi.” She says breathily and I can't help but grin at how adorable she is.

 

     Then an angry voice brings me crashing back to reality. “What the hell are you doing here, Karnstein?” _‘Of course it's Lawrence.’_

 

     Laura spins around at the question, and before she can say anything, I beat her to it. “Just retrieving my date for the night.” I throw my arm over Laura's shoulder. “What's it to you, Clifford?” My smirk falters slightly when I feel Laura’s hand on my lower back. I glance at her and the smirk comes back when I see her glaring at Danny.

 

      Danny’s jaw drops and I would have laughed if the hand on my back hadn't moved a little lower. “Date?”

 

     “Yes. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to go get drinks.” With that, Laura turns us around and walks us off.

 

     I look over my shoulder to see Danny staring in disbelief. I wiggle my fingers in goodbye and mouth ‘jealous?’. I barely see her flip me off before she's out of view.

 

     Laura leads us to the back deck where there are a bunch of coolers set out. Most are labeled ‘Beer’ and the others say ‘Soda’. She breaks away and heads over to the snack table, so I walk over to one of the beer coolers. I roll my eyes when I find it’s full of Bud Light. _‘Maybe I was wrong about this not being a frat party.’_ A hand grabs mine and drags me away to the other side of the deck. Laura has a couple lime wedges in the hand not holding mine, but still puts a finger up to her grinning lips. There's a flight of steps leading down into the yard. The house is built on a hill, so the deck extends ten feet above the ground. She leads me over to a cooler hidden next to a pile of firewood under the deck. Luckily, the sun hasn’t completely set yet, so it’s light enough to see

 

     “If you wanted me alone, cutie, I'm sure there are much cleaner places inside.” I say quietly.

 

     She pulls out two Coronas, popping the tops off on the built in bottle opener on the cooler, and hands me one. “Oh there are.” She says in a low tone, sticking a wedge in my drink.   “I just thought you would rather have something from Laf’s secret stash.”

 

     I tap our bottles together. “Well you thought right.” We both take a long sip and then she starts to walk over to the steps. I grab her sleeve. “Hold up. I’m gonna need a beer or two before going back up there.”

 

     She looks up as more voices can be heard above us, some seem to be chanting “Pizza or death!” Her lips pull into a grin. “I probably will too, actually.”

 

 

 

** Laura **

     Carmilla walks over and inspects the bench swing hanging from the bottom of the deck. After a moment, she sits down and drapes her left arm across the top of the bench. I follow and sit so that our sides are pressed together. We silently drink our beers for a few minutes, watching the sun set, before I turn a little to face her. “So, Miss Popular needs a buzz before she can party?” I tease.

 

     She rolls her eyes and barely holds back a smile. “No, not normally. But I will if I have to deal with my brother’s teammates and the big, not-so-friendly, giant all night.”

 

     “Yeah, sorry about that. I don’t know what Danny’s problem is.” I say apologetically.

 

     “Seriously?” Carmilla asks, laughing. “She has a thing for you and isn’t too thrilled to see someone you wouldn’t need a step-stool to kiss is your date.”

 

     I nearly choke on the mouthful of beer I just started to swallow. When I catch my breath I shake my head vigorously. “Danny liking me? No way.” I drop my now empty bottle on the ground by our feet. She shrugs a little and tips her head back to finish off her own drink. My eyes trace the column of her throat and I fight off the urge to start kissing her neck. _‘One beer and I already want to do something stupid. This is going to be an interesting night.’_

 

     “I just call it like I see it, cupcake.”

 

     “Yeah, okay. So this is a date, huh?”

 

     She drops her bottle next to mine and when she sits back up, her arm drops to rest across my shoulders. She leans a little closer, that stupidly attractive smirk on her lips. “Well, you did say if that’s what it takes for me to come.”

 

     I lean in as well, placing my hand on her thigh. “And you said it would take more than that.”

 

     Her eyes lock on my lips as she whispers, “Just a little more.” She cups my cheek, caressing it with her thumb.

 

     My eyes are closed, but I can feel her breath on my lips, so I know how close she is. Her nose brushes mine and a small gasp escapes my lips. _‘This is really happening. The girl of my dreams is about to kiss me. Holy Hufflepuff, this is happening.’_ So naturally, that's when I hear two people coming down the steps. Carmilla pulls away quickly and drops her head back with a groan. I keep my hand on her thigh and turn to see who it is. Danny and Laf walk over to the cooler and don't seem to notice us sitting on the swing.

 

     “I don't know why she won't listen to me. That girl is just using her.” Danny says.

 

     "I think we should give Carmilla a chance. Laura seems to really like her and I trust her judgement.” Laf replies, handing her an open beer.

 

     Danny snorts, “I think Laura is more focused on her leather pants than her character.”

 

_‘Okay, rude.’_ I stand up and accidentally kick over the empty bottles on the ground. Danny and Laf turn around, their shock obvious on their faces. “Seriously, Danny?” I ask, my hands on my hips.

 

     Danny just glares at Carmilla, who has picked up the bottles and is standing next to me. “And now she's drinking the good beer, great.”

 

     “Are you kidding me?” I walk up to Danny and clench my fists to keep myself from shoving her. “I don't know what makes you think you can be a raging bad person and insult _both_ of us, but you need to stop.”

 

     Her eyes widen and she honestly looks surprised at my outburst. “Laura, I'm just trying to look out for you.”

 

     “Well don't!”

 

     Laf steps between us at the same time I feel an arm wrap around my waist. I turn my head to see Carmilla smirking at me. _‘God, that's distracting.’_ Laf clears their throat awkwardly. “Hey L, I think Kirsch was looking for you, something about beer pong champs.”

 

     "Thanks for the beer, ginger snap. Let's go, cutie.” Carmilla says, steering me towards the steps. “One beer and you turn into a tiny ball of rage.” She chuckles.

 

     “Yeah, sorry about that. She's been getting in my nerves lately and I guess I just snapped. I don't usually go off like that.” I say sheepishly.

 

     We get to the top of the steps and see Kirsch come running out the door towards us. Carmilla leans closer and whispers, “Don't apologize, it was hot.” Her breath on my neck and her hand running down my back successfully shut down my brain.

 

     Kirsch grabs my hand and leads me inside. I see his lips moving but I'm not registering anything he's saying. All I can focus on is the trail of fire Carmilla’s fingers left on my skin.

 

 

** Carmilla **

     “Hey I've been looking everywhere for you dudes! Laura and I need to defend our title.” Kirsch grabs Laura’s hand and drags her back into the house.

 

     I shake my head, trying to hold back a smile. Laura looks completely shell shocked and all it took was a whisper and a light touch. I follow the puppy through the door after getting myself another beer. There's a table set up in the middle of the family room that everyone is standing around. Laura and kirsch are at one end and Will is at the other. He waves me over when I walk in the room.

 

     "Help me out, will ya? Kirsch doesn't think we can beat them.” Will says when I make my way over.

 

     “Is that so?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at the pair across from us.

 

     Kirsch nods his head excessively. “Totally, bro. The little nerd hottie and I are undefeated!”

 

     I look at Laura and she meets my eye, a smug grin on her face. “Well, we’ll see how long that lasts.” I say.

 

     Will and Laura each throw a ball at the same time to see who which team will go first. Will’s throw goes long. Laura’s goes straight into the top cup.

 

     “Yes we will.” She says with a wink. _‘Oh shit.’_

     Ten minutes later, I'm watching Laura and Kirsch do some kind of victory dance that involves a lot of hip bumps. Two guys from the football team come over and start filling up new cups. I grab my untouched Bud Light and back away as the next game starts. I lean against the wall, unabashedly staring at Laura. She's always an upbeat person, but after a couple cups she's laughing at every single thing Kirsch says. _‘She's so beautiful it hurts.’_ I know I'm smiling like an idiot watching her jump around and high five people whenever she makes a shot, but I couldn't care less. _‘No one is paying any attention to me anyway.’_ Literally as soon as the thought goes through my mind, Laura frantically looks around until she catches me staring. She smiles widely and waves. I lift my drink in acknowledgement.

 

     “Careful, kitty, someone might think you have feelings.”

     “Fuck off, Will.” I grumble, not taking my eyes off Laura.

 

     He chuckles and leans next to me. “This is real, isn't it?” He asks, suddenly serious.

 

     “What are you talking about?”

 

     “You're not just looking to hook up with her, right?”

 

     I sigh and look over to find him staring at me. “I really like her, Will.”

 

     He nods his head. “Good.” Then he pats my shoulder and walks off.

 

     A loud cheer erupts from the center of the room, drawing my attention back to the game. Kirsch is dancing around again, but I don't see Laura anywhere. I'm about to start looking around when a little body slams into me, giggling.

 

     “Whoopsie. Lost my balance a little, sorry.” Laura straightens up and puts her hands on the wall on either side of me, pinning me in place. “Hey, Carm.”

 

     “Hey there, creampuff.” I say slowly. Her proximity is seriously hindering my brain function. “Are you drunk?”

 

     She giggles and drops her head onto my shoulder. “Maybe a little.” Her breath tickles my neck and I'm pretty sure my heart is going to pound out of my chest. _‘I wonder if she can hear it.’_

 

     “I think you are.”

 

     “And I think you have a huge crush on me.” She coos, lifting her head to look at me.

 

     I reach up with my free hand and tuck her hair behind her ear. Her eyes close and she leans into my touch. “Oh yeah?” I ask softly. “Where did you get that idea?”

 

     Laura takes the beer from my hand and puts it on the ground. She wraps my arms around her waist and moves closer, pressing me into the wall. “A note on a napkin and a waltz in the rain.” She whispers, her lips brushing my ear.

 

     Her hands move to my shoulders as she leans her body into mine. I bite my lip to keep from moaning at the feeling of her hips pressing against me. I stop breathing when Laura starts kissing along my jaw. Then her lips are on mine and its more amazing than I could have imagined. They’re so soft and warm, I wish I didn’t have to breathe, so I could kiss her forever. I bring one hand up to tangle in her hair – _‘God, that’s soft too!’_ – while the other stays on her lower back, holding her close. Laura’s tongue teases my upper lip and I tilt my head to deepen the kiss. She shudders when our tongues meet, moaning softly into my mouth. After another minute, I pull back when my lungs start screaming for air.

 

     I rest my forehead on hers, wanting to stay as close as possible. “You’re right.” I pant out. “I do have a huge crush on you.”

 

     “You’re breathless.” She notes, slightly awed.

 

     “You’re breathtaking.”

 

     The smile on her face is blinding as she rises up to kiss me again, both hands pulling me in by the edges of my flannel. The rest of the night is a blur of soft lips, golden hair, and red lace.


End file.
